Marriage equality foes have sued the state of Wisconsin to block a “sneaky” domestic-partnership registry scheduled to come into effect next month.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday directly to the state’s supreme court, conservative groups led by Wisconsin Family Action slammed the domestic-partnership provisions as a direct violation of a 2006 amendment approved by voters that bans marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports.
"Elected officials should never pass laws that violate the will of Wisconsin voters who legitimately amended the state constitution in a fair election," Wisconsin Family Action president Julaine Appling said in a statement. "This new domestic-partnership scheme is a sneaky assault on marriage from those who are determined to redefine marriage in Wisconsin."
Under the domestic-partner provisions, gay and lesbian couples would receive 43 of the more than 200 rights conferred by marriage in the state, including hospital visitation and end-of-life care decisions.
The Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based conservative legal action group currently defending Proposition 8 in a high-profile federal lawsuit, represents Wisconsin Family Action in the case.
In May, the Wisconsin state supreme court agreed to hear arguments on the legality of the ballot language of the amendment approved by voters.
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Here's hoping that Yankee transplant and fighter against Satan's minions doesn't get her way. During the campaign to pass the amendment it was pretty clear that the amendment sponsors intended to prohibit establishing look-alike marriage and not to prohibit providing benefits to same-sex couples. Thanks for blogging about this! :)
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